New Glasses

I can't believe my little boy is growing up so fast.  He recently got glasses!  And he looks so intellectual and handsome in them!

Rocco had complained a couple of times that he couldn't see so well in class or in the car.  When school was out, I took him to my eye doctor.  Sure enough he had an astigmatism...just like me.  He couldn't see things very well if they were far away.  It was his first eye exam, and he was a champ!

  Now Maverick...well I chased him around the office and finally took him out so that Rocco could finish with his exam.  He looked through the machine and read the letters on the screen.  His eyes were dilated.  After the doctor told us he needed glasses, we began picking out frames.  That was the fun part.  We decided on some green and black frames that were Nike brand.  He left there excited and feeling like a million bucks!

 We'll see how well he likes them when he realizes this is a permanent thing and the new wears off.  I do know that he did well a few hours later playing with his brother and the Cox boys...all while wearing his new glasses.

Seven Years Two Months Old

Rocco is doing some sort of karate chop in this month's picture.  He loves to pretend fight.  Give him a sword, play knife, or toy guns and he can entertain himself for a while. But usually before he can play for a long time his little brother will come along and get right in the middle of it.  That's why Rocco has two bunkers where he keeps his toys, candy, and gum.  One is at the bottom of our steps and the other is beside the fire place in the living room.  So far, Maverick can't get over the furniture that is blocking it. When he learns how to... it is all over!

 This month Rocco finished up school.  Here is a picture of his first grade classmates.  This picture was taken on Awards Day.  Below is a picture of him with his teacher, Mrs. Ashworth.  I was so proud of him this year (as I always am).  He received the Citizenship Award.  Meg Kapustay got the girl Citizenship Award.  This was special because the students voted on it.  I was especially proud of him for his reading accomplishments.  Most of the library books that he checked out were worth just half a point if he passed the test on it.  By the end of the year we decided that if he got 20 points he could have anything (within reason) that he wanted.  He earned double what we had set for him....40.9 POINTS!  We bought him a new Nintendo DS Mario game for his accomplishments.  Most students had 15 or so points by the end of the year.  Only one other student had more AR points than him in his class. 

 On the last week of school, his class and the other first grade class went to the park downtown for a picnic and some water fun.  I love this picture of him because of the pure happiness on his face.  He was involved in a water gun fight with his friends. I was off this day and was able to hang out for a little while with him.  I took Maverick, too.  That was the good thing about working part time!

 School wasn't the only thing we wrapped up this month.  Coach pitch baseball is now over.  They had a great season!  Here is Rocco with his teammates and coaches.

Rocco, Maverick, and I went up to see my family during our spring break in May.  We had a blast at Sir Gooney's.  Look at our faces...we were the only ones on the course that day.  Mimi went with us and enjoyed herself, too.  

 After the four of us golfed, the boys rode in one of the quarter machines.  It's amazing how much fun 25 cents provided that day!

Fourteen Months

 Watch out! This sweet 14 month old boy is on the loose.  .  .   and he's in to everything!  He's keeping us all in shape!  We have to close all of the doors in the house or else he'll go into our bedroom and twirl himself all around our sheer curtains nearly pulling them out of the wall.  Then again he might just go in there, open up the drawers, and pull all of the socks out.  If he makes it to the bathroom he might play in the toilet water or try to get into the tub as he tells you in that sweet voice, "Baa!  Baa!"  Maverick loves getting a bath.  If we didn't close Rocco's bedroom door he would find his way to the closet and drag out all of his brother's toys. That boy is a mess!  Rocco used to call him a "meany baby" until Jason told him to stop.  Now, Rocco has his own made-up word for Maverick.  Too-too-taa-taa.  (This made up word means meany baby in his mind.)  He also calls him his "tinkerbaby".

And speaking of Rocco, he has taught Maverick how to act like a wildcat.  He roars and comes after you.  He can also make car/truck sounds when he's playing with his toys.  He's such a smart little boy.  He knows which balls go with certain toys.

Recently he's enjoyed closing the doors himself.  The only problem is that once they are closed he can't get them back open.  And he gets pretty upset when he's in a room alone.  He's got himself locked in our bedroom closet several times doing just that!

He continues to put things in his mouth that shouldn't be there.  He knows it is a no-no.  When I see him put something from the floor in his mouth, he'll turn around and take off running.  The other day I caught something in his hands before it even made it into his mouth.  "Bring it to mommy!"  I told him.  He walked towards me about to hand it over.  Then at the last second he turned around and ran off with it. What a tease he is!

Now that he knows he can make noises and scream, he does just that.  He squeals just to hear himself.  He has also made up his own song.  It has three beats. One song goes, "Da-da-da....da-da-da."  The other song he sings is "Na-na-na...na-na-na."  When we join in and copy him he just loves it!

Being outside is one of his favorite things lately.  You have to watch him when you open the door because he will be the first one to dart out.  When you close the door and don't let him go outside, he gets so upset and cries.  He also likes to ride Rocco's Hot Wheels outside on the driveway.  When it's time to go in, he will pitch a fit, throw his body back, or wrap his arms and legs around the toy so that you can't pry him off of it.

Now that he's eating more table food, he's learned that there are many foods he likes.  Waffles with syrup, Cheerios,Fruit Loops, French fries, and watermelon are just a few. The only problem is that he doesn't know when his mouth is full.  He just crams it all in there.  Then he'll ask for more.  "Bie-bie-bie!"(bite)

He received a hand-me-down rocking horse from Janna's mom, Sue.  He already knows how to rock it back and forth.

Here we are at church one Sunday morning.  This little tux was a hand-me-down of Rocco's.

 We already knew that the barricades weren't working any more.  But what we soon found out was that the barricades were becoming an obstacle course for little man.  He not only learned to climb over the sink but IN it!

 And what would your childhood be without dress up time?  Here are mommy's cute pirates.

Mother's Day was so special this year.  What blessings my children are!  They are straight from the Lord!  We spent this year's Mother's Day at my parents house. We spent some quality time with my mom, dad, and nana.

 Three generations:  my mom, my nana, and me.

 I think Maverick was about to go to sleep on the tractor; he looked so relaxed riding with my dad...his papaw.

 No, this is NOT our pink car.  We don't own much pink at our house.  This is Daelyn's Barbie car.  Maverick and Rocco sure do enjoy it though when they go to Mimi and Papaw's house.

This is the month that Maverick had to quit nursing.  If I could have I would have probably nursed him until he turned two, but my heart doctor advised I go back on my beta blocker.  I was experiencing extra beats and "aflutter".  Maverick could not have my milk with this new medicine in my system.  The last time he nursed was on May 26th.  I wasn't very sad though because my heart was filled with such gratefulness that God had allowed me to experience childbirth and nursing.  And many moms never get to nurse for 14 months like I did.  I'll forever cherish the time I had staying home part-time with Maverick his first year and being able to nurse him.  What a blessing...straight from Jesus!

Seven Years and One Month Old

Rocco has been in a size 11 shoes, but he just got some new Asics size 12.  He was so proud of those shoes that he dreamed about his best friend, Will, and himself.  In the dream he was wearing his tennis shoes.  They Velcro - he hasn't yet learned how to tie laces.  We need to work on that. 

One thing he doesn't need to work on is being cool.  He's got that part down!

 Sometimes he cracks he me up with the things he says.  Noticing yet another toy was made in China, he said, "Mommy, those China people are good makers."  And one night before going to bed he said, "Mommy, I want you to be my wife because I just love you so much!"  Now that did something to my heart that I still can't explain in words.

He is the most ticklish boy I've ever seen.  Even when I kiss his forehead he just laughs and says, "Mommy, that tickles my brain!"

This is his fourth year playing ball.  His best friends, Will and Hunter, are on his team.  Here he is below with Will and his brother, Weston.

The other day we took the boat out for a ride.  He enjoyed it so much.. . so long as daddy didn't go too fast.  He is cautious like his mama.

 Rocco is so smart in reading and math.  He has earned over 35 AR points.  His daddy set a yearly goal for 20 points, but he has surpassed it.  And in math you can ask him to add ten or take away ten to any number under 101 and he will tell you.  He is the BEST writer in all of first grade.  He prides himself in the fact that he fills up an entire page every time he writes.

With a little brother around, Rocco has come up with a neat idea of how to keep his toys from being taken away.  He puts them in a "bunker" that is barricaded.  Just look at his swords, gun, and shield!  Maverick can't get to them!