Jonathan Week 14

Monday -
Life is pretty much back to normal; except the fact we're living in a construction zone.  The odd thing is that it doesn't seem to phase JH.  The drills and saws are buzzing until his bedtime and he never notices.

This morning I made Jonathan scrambled eggs for breakfast.  He ate all his eggs and then proceeded to spill his chocolate milk all over the table and Da Da's painting supplies (under his chair).  This was the second change of clothes since JH wet his bed last night.  When I went to hug him this morning I noticed he was drenched.  He usually tells us when he wet but this morning he didn't say a word.

I dropped him off at Miss Terry's house and ran and got a few groceries for the week.  Jonathan is going to Gramma's house on Sunday for the week again so I didn't need too much.  The attic should be 99% finished by the time we take him so we'll get to move up there while he is gone.  I keep telling myself that we only have about 3 more weeks and our house will be DONE!  I hope we get to host at least one holiday this year since we'll have plenty of room now.

When JH got home from Terry's Da Da picked him up and while he was getting him in the car JH had an accident :-(  This child needs some consistency again!  Too much going on and too much shuffling from here to there.

We played Play Dough when he got home and had dinner and a few books.  It's 7:30 PM and he just went to bed.

Tuesday -
It was a pretty uneventful day.  I don't recall much of what happened other than construction and JH going to Miss Terry's house from 9 to 4.

Wednesday -
JH was going to the play day at Miss Terry's church today and he went as a train conductor.  Da Da took him in the morning and I went to get him at 4:00 PM.  When I got there Miss Terry said he had just had an accident :-(  By the time I got him in the car he had another accident!!  This is a kid that can go 12 hours dry and he went pee pee twice in 15 minutes.

JH had a bath and we had dinner and read a few books.  The tile guy was here until after 9:00 PM and JH slept through sawing and tromping all over the attic.

Thursday -
I got up with JH and before you know it he had breakfast and was off to Miss Terry's house.  It's Sunday night and I have no recollection of Thursday!

Friday -
JH had breakfast and played with Play-doh for a while until he wanted to play Sprout games on my computer.  He is getting so good at navigating and playing games.

In the late afternoon I played hooky from work and we took JH to see Puss and Boots in MI City.  He was pretty good and spent 1/2 the movie on my lap and the other 1/2 on Da Da's lap.   The movie was awesome!!

Saturday -
We got up and packed JH up to spend another week with Gramma and Grandpa.  We met them 1/2 way in Morris Illinois so the drive was like nothing.  He kept wrapping pieces of paper for me and saying "I have another present for you Daddy", it was junk from the back-seat wrapped in old paper :-)

When we pulled up at a restaurant in Morris Gramma and Grandpa had just pulled in and were still standing by their truck.  JH played shy until we got seated and he was like butter in Gramma and Grandpa's hands.  Rick and I both noticed that JH was like an angel with them; we usually have two or three outbursts at every meal out.  When we left I carried him out and he gave me several very strong/tight hugs and kisses.  I asked him if he would be a good boy for Gramma and Grandpa and he said "yes, Daddy, I will be a good boy, and Daddy, I will miss you".

Saturday when we got home Da Da and I got more done than we had all the previous week nights.  We miss our boy but see the light at the end of the tunnel with these renovations.

Sunday -
No JH and so much accomplished.  The carpet goes in tomorrow in the attic and we'll move up there on Monday night, yippee!!

Jonathan Week 13

Monday -
JH spent the day at Miss Terry's house and the day just flew by.  I didn't write on Monday night so I have no recollection of what happened or how the day went....sorry JH.  I think we ordered pizza for dinner and JH went to bed much later than usual.

Tuesday -
What a mess the house is!  JH got up early and we had a nice breakfast and ran to Benton Harbor to get additional drywall supplies.  We were there by 7:00 AM and rushing to get home before my first meetings.  JH went to Miss Terry's house at 8:30 AM and luckily we made it home right after.

When Da Da  picked up JH at 4:00 PM, he was told JH did really well all day, but had an accident late in the day.  He was a little bratty at Miss Terry's house too; I think he was talking back to her :-(

We asked Linda to come by after dinner so she could play with JH while Da Da and I demo'd the staircase to the garage.  We were making tons of noise and could still hear JH running around and laughing playing with Linda.

Wednesday -
Da Da had a Dr appointment to get his stitches out so he dropped JH off at Miss Terry's house a little early this morning.  We had planned on having Selene, Light, Mom, and Auntie Jo Jo out this weekend but the house is just too torn apart.  I picked JH up at Miss Terry's house and  we rushed home so he could say goodbye to Da Da and we were off to Auntie Jo Jo's house. Da Da was very sad to say goodbye to JH and had tears running down his face :-(  JH was wiping his tears saying "why are you sad Da Da?"; now that was sad.  By the time we got to the freeway he was singing a song about Da Da being sad.

Thursday -
Last night we picked Selene up at 11:30 PM and got back to Jo's after 1:00 AM.  When I finally got to bed at 1:30 ish JH woke-up and said "is it good morning Daddy?", I told him it was the middle of the night and he rolled over and immediately went to sleep.

When JH woke-up at 6:30 AM the entire house woke-up.  He was talking loudly and Selene and Light were sleeping in the loft so there was no chance for them.  Jo got up and made the boys breakfast and they seemed to play pretty well.  Light was just 3 on 10/10 and is a very sweet little boy.  JH was a little dominating at times but Light held his own :-/

The day was cold and wet so the boys played inside until the evening when we went to Dug and Jamie's for a birthday party for Light.  We got there and the kids went NUTS running and screaming and playing.  Selene, Jo, and I were like 3 zombies since we had only 5 hours or less of sleep.  I have no idea when we got home but it was soon after that we all went to bed.

Friday -
JH woke-up pretty early and asked "Daddy, can I go snuggle with Auntie Jo Jo?", YES, please leave me so I can sleep!!  Ha ha.

When I got up at about 7:30 AM they had all been fed and the boys were playing in Jo's basement.  Jo and Selene took the boys to the park and ran around  most of the day.  I worked and Mom watched a marathon of Criminal Minds and Law and Order.

In the evening Dug and Jamie came over and we had Asian food and drank gallons of wine :-)  Not really, but it felt like it on Saturday morning.

Saturday -
Jo and Selene took the boys to the park for a picnic while I hung a few light fixtures in her house.

We had a quiet evening and all commented on how well Light and JH played the weekend.  I told JH a few Jeffery stories at bedtime and then he wanted Jo to come up and tell him a story.  Jo told him a few Brian (nice) and Bryan (naughty) stories and he was off to sleep.

Sunday -
I dropped Gramma Rosie off at my brother Mike's house and we happily headed home to Michigan!  JH chattered all the way home and had a few snacks along the way.

JH got out of the car and I swear he hugged Da Da for about 3 minutes!  It's nice to have our family together again.

I know week is really fragmented but we're all exhausted and I have nothing left.  Da Da dealt with a major MESS here at home with floods and massive construction delays and chaos.

Jonathan Week 12

Thursday -
Today seemed to take forever!  JH and Da Da drove up about 4:30 PM and I ran out to meet them and JH looked at me and was smiling from ear to ear.  I scooped him out of his car-seat and gave him 100 hugs and kisses.

JH kept telling Da Da that his belly hurt and he had to poop, then when Da Da took him to a bathroom he said "I want to go potty in MY bathroom".  SO, when we were walking in the house he said "Daddy, my belly hurts and I have to go poop".  OMG, he did the biggest poop I have ever seen come out of him.

We drove to Niles to put in an order for supplies to start ....(yes, we're taking on another project) the conversion of the garage to a kitchen.  We stopped for dinner and JH would not eat a bite.  Then Da Da got ice-cream and all of a sudden JH was a little hungry.  On the way home JH played with his "a balloon" and kept saying "Daddy, look at what I'm doing with my a balloon".

Bed-time was effortless and JH gave us hugs and kisses and was fast asleep in minutes.

Friday -
Today started with me sneaking past Jonathan's room at 7:15 AM to turn on the coffee pot.  I made it to the sofa and started to read my emails when I heard "Good morning Daddy, LOOK my aballoon is DEAD"; his balloon was sadly laying on its side on the kitchen floor.  He came out and sat next to me while I looked at all my accounts on-line.  He kept saying what's that picture, who's that lady or man while I navigated around my account screens.  He was snuggled up against me and it felt so great to have him home again.

Da Da dropped JH off at Miss Terry's house at 9:00 AM and we both knocked around the house all day.  I had a slow work day so it was nice and quiet and I got my Outlook all cleaned up.  Da Da did a little yard work but mostly a quiet day.  Da Da smashed his finger on Saturday and hasn't been able to do much until his stitches are removed next week.

When JH and Da Da walked in at 4:00 PM Da Da said that Miss Terry told him that JH didn't potty all day.  Now that's 7 hours while he drank and ate all day long!  We let him play for a while and then after dinner at about 6:00 PM we made him try to potty and he had a FIT.  "I'm tired, I'm SLEEPY, I don't have to potty"; so I told him to go lay in bed until he was in a better mood.  After about 30 minutes I opened the door and he was just laying there singing, so I laid with him and he started giggling and being playful again.  FINALLY after about 10 minutes he went potty; I swear he went for 30 seconds and it was as yellow as the Sun!!  Why?  I just don't understand why this boy won't go potty when he has to go!  Are we raising a little control freak or ..... is he being raised by a couple of control freaks??

We sat nice for about 15 minutes (one Thomas episode) and then he was too wiggly so after a few warnings it was off to bed.  Hugs and kisses and even a sign language I love you and he was fast asleep.

Saturday -
We got up pretty early and went in to MI City to pick-up our new windows and doors for the garage conversion (to a big Kitchen).  Luckily we have wonderful friends in Linda and Neil to go with us so we could get the doors home.  They have an old station wagon that you could transport a small boat in the back.  We had breakfast and JH was mostly good, I think he may have been a little loud but either Da Da and I are immuned to it or just don't care :-)

The day went pretty well but at lunch he wouldn't eat more than a spoonful of mashed potatoes and some of Gramma's corn.  That was fine and after trying a nap we got a call from Uncle Michael we all got up and visited for a few minutes.  It was nice to have someone drop by, that doesn't happen to us very often and is always welcome.  We are living in chaos with both the attic and the garage torn-up.  The living room is full of closet systems and plumbing stuff for the attic.  SO, while we welcome overnight visitors, please give us a couple of weeks to get the attic done.

We took another drive in the late afternoon and then came home and had a nice dinner.  I recycled his uneaten lunch in to a stew type thing and he gobbled it up like crazy.  We then gave him a yogurt and a small piece of pumpkin bread.  As I type this Da Da is up in his room because he was just crying "I'm hungry", no way is that boy hungry!  He wasn't ready for bed and has pulled every trick in the book to stay up a little later.

Sunday -
I woke-up first and as soon as I hit the coffee button (it beeps), I heard little feet running to the door.  I tried what Da Da does now and then and hid besides the refrigerator, how he knew it was me I have no idea, "Good morning Daddy".

We had breakfast and waited for the drywall guys to show; at about noon one came and we were not happy.  We decided today that we're canceling the scheduled install of the carpet on Friday :-(  I guess we'll move up to the attic in November!

In the afternoon Uncle Michael came and we all talked and played with Jonathan.  Uncle Michael introduced JH to Angry Bird and (see above pic) it was hilarious to watch them watch Jonathan play.

This evening we played a few puzzle games on my lap top and then he colored Thomas and played a matching game.  Jonathan is just over 3 and he navigates my tracker pad on my Mac like a pro :-)  Da Da read JH a Thomas book and he wrapped his arms around my neck and I carried him on my back to bed.  It's been great having our boy home!!

Jonathan Week 11

Jonathan has been at Gramma and Grandpa's house all week and we miss him like crazy!  I really don't have much to say this week other than, thank you to Gramma for calling us each evening so we could say goodnight to our little love.

Jonathan Week 10

Monday -
Jonathan went to Miss Terry's house and Da Da got ready for the framers to come and start the attic.  On Sunday night JH wanted to see the attic because we had been talking about it and going up more often than usual.  I took him up and he asked about 100 questions all with "why" in them about the way it looked.  It's a nasty looking raw space and since the house was built in 1930's it's very old and musty.

After JH got back from Terry's house we drove to MI City to get all the plumbing parts.  The plumber is coming on Sunday so we're cruising on this project already.  JH was chattering away in the back seat telling us that we're good boys and bragging about how he didn't have an accident at Terry's house.  He was playing with a coloring book and there was a torn page and he gasped "Who did this Daddy", I said that my guess was Jonathan Harper  did it, he said "no, I think it was Owen".  Owen is a little boy that goes to Miss Terry's house on the days JH goes.  He said "Owen is naughty and gets time outs"; so the obvious culprit MUST have been Owen who has never been to our house :-)

On the way home it was getting dark and JH said "It's getting dark, it must be bed time" and he was correct.  We brushed his teeth and Da Da read him a fast story and he was down with no last minute requests for water, or fan, or Brownie.

Tuesday -
I have been sleeping later than Da Da this week, so he and JH were up and watching cartoons by the time I rolled out of bed at 7:30 AM.  I love walking out of our bedroom in the morning and seeing JH and Da Da sitting together on the sofa watching TV or eating breakfast.  What a vanilla family we have!  I think critics of our lifestyle wouldn't believe how routine and "normal" our life is.

In the evening we had to run to MI City yet again for supplies.  Most people would have their contractor buy all the supplies but we're greedy and want to get the miles.  We also have been buying Lowes coupons on ebay so we save 10% on every item we buy :-)  Most of you that know aren't surprised by that info.

We stopped at Subway for dinner and came home and JH had a bath.  He sat nice for about 30 minutes and finally went to bed after 7:30 PM.  That's late for Jonathan Harper; his usual bedtime is 6:30 PM.

Wednesday -
JH was at the sitters all day so it was very quiet.  The contractors called in sick so it was REALLY quiet.  Da Da picked something up too and laid on the sofa drinking day-time cold and flu medicine.

We both went to get JH at 4:00 PM and he was so excited to tell us that he didn't have any accidents.  We chatted on the way home and JH wanted to hear some Jeffery stories.  We usually use stories of times he acted really good or really bad and replace Jonathan with Jeffery.  He likes the stories when Jeffery is naughty better than when Jeffery was nice.

I made Lemon Chicken for dinner and steamed vegetables.  JH ate all his veg and only about 3 bites of Chicken.  We played a bit and he said he was sleepy at 6:15 PM so it was off to bed.  I like that he doesn't try too hard to beat the bedtime rules.

Thursday -
At about 3:30 AM I awoke to JH crying; his Thomas pillow dropped and "I want Thomas".  I went in and he asked if I wanted to snuggle, um no.  I picked his pillow up off the floor, gave him a kiss, and said see you in the morning; his response was "okay, Daddy, see you in the morning".

Da Da slept in a little and I made JH French Toast and after he finished that he wanted Oatmeal.  This boy is getting so big!

On Thursday afternoon JH and Da Da played around the house and during lunch I took him out to collect a few chicken eggs.  He wants to hold them but they are so dirty that I just can't let him.

After dinner JH pulled a carpet sample that Da Da gave him out of his room and sat next to me and announced it was his new computer.  He folded it over and the backside is his keyboard and where the label is he said was the screen.  He wanted me to type loudly while telling Jeffery stories.  I'm not sure how JH will fall asleep with major construction is happening above his head in the attic.  The contractor didn't show up yesterday at all and arrived today at 3:30 PM so there is tons to do before the plumber comes on Sunday.

Friday -
Unbelievably, JH slept through what sounded like a herd of elephants stomping and sawing lumber.  He did wake-up at 5:30 AM crying that he had to go potty.  That made us happy but it was difficult for us to go back to sleep, and on top of that the smoke alarm was chirping all night.  JH asked "what's that sound in my room", it was actually the one outside his door.  I think the sawdust in the attic has made the system a little spastic.

This morning I made JH an omelet from 4 of our chicken eggs; they are laying very small eggs to start.  He ate all of the omelet and then asked for a bite of mine (egg whites and low fat cheese) and then a bite of Da Da's banana.

The contractors showed up at around 9:30 AM so it's going to be a busy and loud day in the house since we have terrible wind and rain today.  Jonathan's new play set was overturned in the yard and our umbrella was pretty much snapped.

After work we jumped in the car and drove JH to Gramma and Grandpa's house.  We made it in an amazing 3 1/2 hours and enjoyed a delicious BBQ chicken dinner.  At dinner we were telling JH to sit, or eat, or stop yelling :-)  Gramma looked at JH and said "Jonathan, be a good boy now", he looked at us and said "I wanna go home".  While Da Da and I are missing our boy like crazy, we're also happy that he's at boot camp!  Gramma and Grandpa have fun with JH but don't let him get away with naughty behavior.

We left Saturday morning to drive back to MI and to stop at Ikea to order a few things for the attic remodel.  The day went very quick and getting in and out of places was a breeze; but not as enjoyable as having our boy.

After we got home we got a call from JH and Gramma and he talked to us both telling how much fun he was having.  It's weird that he usually doesn't talk on the phone with people but he talked to both of us for several minutes recapping his day.  He was so sweet and loving on the phone and Da Da and I miss him terribly.

Sunday -
We both slept in a little waiting to hear our boy singing or chatting to himself; just silence :-(

The day was so busy for both of us, burning the fallen tree from Thursday night, standing-up the fallen play-set, and not worrying about where JH was or if he was okay.  We got our pre-bedtime call from JH and he immediately starting telling Da Da about his NEW RED BIKE that Gramma and Grandpa bought him today.  He's having a blast!!

The next week will just be me writing about how much I miss our boy; since the plan is that JH will be with Gramma and Grandpa for a week and a half.