Grayson . . .

Grayson is also doing so many "big" things.  You can tell that he is trying so hard to communicate.  He will clearly have things he really wants or wants to tell you that he just doesn't have the words for.  I can usually get the gist from his noises and motions, but if I can't he gets frustrated.  (It is crazy to think back about how many words Parker had at G's age - P grew up so fast that way)  

I love how excited he gets to see his Dad and "Daddy" is one of his best (and only) words.  He is also thrilled to see his brothers and even though it doesn't sound like "davis" - he has a certain jabber that he always yells that means "davis".  The other day Davis told him "just call me Day-day" (which was so sweet to me b/c that is what Parker used to say when he couldn't say Davis - even today Parker will call him "Day" sometimes when they are playing).  

My favorite thing he does right now is crawl up on my lap.  Whenever I come sit down on the floor with them, he runs over and backs himself in to plop down on my lap.  He loves some cuddle and I love it even more!  

He wants to do everything that the boys do - always!  He really like to kick the soccer ball with Davis and is surprisingly good at keeping that ball moving in front of him. I also love that when we are doing bedtime routine he crawls in the extra bed in the big boy room and lays down on the pillow like he wants to stay in there with them . . . his day is coming . . . but not for a long time I am sure :)  He also has a big love for his cousin Eli.  E has paid him some special attention lately and he also has a sound he makes when he sees Eli that I can tell is the way he is saying E's name.  He will let Eli lead him around pretty much anywhere - I can tell he is going to really admire his big cousin.

Probably because eating is still SUCH an ordeal with Parker, I am surprised and delighted by how well Grayson will eat.  He will try almost anything.  Obviously he loves fruit more than just about anything else, but he does good with most things.  He even particularly loves bbq - like pulled pork or brisket.  

Davis . . .

Davis is getting so big - I cannot believe that he is almost five years old!  He is really loving school right now and soccer.  He asks those two questions almost every morning:  "Do I have soccer today? and "Do we do school today?".  I am glad he is enjoying learning new things.  When we started doing school, Anne was so kind to come over and evaluate where Davis was at with some things.  At that point in September, he could not really identify individual sounds.  For example, if you told him "S" says "ssssss", can you think of any words that begin with that sound - he really had no idea.  For several weeks we would talk about all the words that start with the letter we were working on, but he couldn't make that connection to finding words on his own.  In the last two weeks this has started to 'click' for him.  All day long he will think of word that start with the letter we are working on for the week.  Just this morning at breakfast, he said "Pantry and my Pancakes both start with the "p" sound".  When we are riding in the car he also finds lots of things he sees that start with the letter we are talking about.  It seems like such a simple little thing, but it has been a sweet pleasure and privilege (that I wasn't expecting) to get to watch him learn simple, little, foundational things.  It is so exciting to me to get to see those lights turn on!  

Another sweet thing is how much he loves babies right now.  (Please refrain from the "time to have another" comments . . . those are outdated and fall on deaf ears:)  He talks about Evie and Hugh all the time and can't wait to get his hands on those kids when he sees them.  He was super into picking out a b-day present for Hugh and last night in the car, he asked if Mark was coming to Papa's birthday dinner and voiced his concern about him being around Evie since Mark has been sick.  That baby girl will be adored by her cousins!

We have also had some great conversations lately about spiritual things.  Davis used to be very opposed to talking about spiritual things and even reading Bible stories together, so it continues to encourage my heart greatly when he initiates talking about things.  God has also used it to encourage me to think about Him with the intrigue and innocence of a little boy.  Davis has been asking lots of questions about what it will be like when Jesus comes back.  He will look up at the sky and ask what it will be like when Jesus is coming back through the clouds.  One night, I was flustered making dinner and probably impatiently snapping at the kids to get to the table (Mark was gone) and the first thing Davis asked when we sat down was "why don't we get to KNOW when Jesus will come back?" - definitely made me stop in my cranky tracks and remember that my focus should be on that!  He asked his Sunday school teacher two weeks ago why we call God, "God".  This has given us the opportunity to talk about God giving Himself that name in Scripture and speak together about the authority of God.  Last night in the car he asked, "who is Jesus' Father?"  Trying to speak true things that he can understand about something like the Trinity reminded me of my study in John right now - that spiritual things can only be understood by the work of the Holy Spirit in our hearts - and so we continue to pray that God would work in Davis' heart to give him understanding of these things and I am so grateful that I get to watch and be used by God in that process.  

Parker . . .

I realized when looking for a "Parker picture" for this post that I haven't really taken any random, day to day pictures of my kids in months.  Oops.  So I am stealing a photo from my sister - a better photographer anyway!  Parker and Logan - buddies for sure!  Doesn't really have anything to do with the post except that I needed a cute picture :)  P.S. they are going to be Buzz Lightyear and Woody for Halloween . . . so cute.

Sunday night my parents were loading my boys into the car with me.  Parker yells out the window to my mom:

"Good night . . . sleep tight . . . . don't let those bugs bite ya".  It made me laugh.  

He just found out the Logan is pretty much potty trained (in like 2 days by the way . . ugh).  Anyway, I was trying to make him excited about it and use the "your buddy wears undies" manipulation tactic.  

Parker:  I get to wear undies and big boy boxers when I go pee on the potty???

Me:  Yes buddy - so exciting - want to try?

Parker:  No thanks.  I just wear diapers.  

He is so helpful and sweet to me.  All day long I hear, "I'm your big boy helper?!?" because he is bringing me a diaper for Grayson, helping me put toys away, or giving Grayson a toy in the car to keep him from fussing.  

Last things about Parker - He went to his first movie last week.  My mom took the boys to see the Toy Story combo and I went along to help.  I thought it was very likely Parker wouldn't want to sit through the first movie, much less the second.  He loved the whole experience - of course it helps that he loves Toy Story.  I told him we could go home in the intermission and he was not interested at all.  He watched the entire second movie also.  He is still wearing his 3-D glasses around a week later.  When the Disneyland Castle came on at the beginning of the movie - Parker said, "Oh Disneyland, I have been to that castle!!!". 

Sleep overs and more Johnson fun :)

We got a special treat this week . . . Clay Clay came to visit while Clayton was working in Tucson.  The boys were super excited to have their cousin in town.  (For the record, Parker asked for Kara for the first three days, but then got used to the idea that she wasn't coming too)  In true, "Johnson visit" fashion - we tried to pack as much cousin hang-out time into one week as possible.  A "first" for my boys was a sleep over at our house.  Yes, that is a graham cracker-icing sandwich - they are eating with their movie - maybe that is why they weren't very tired :)  All three boys slept in the big boys' room and they did great.  My boys thought it was extra special.  The week also included Peter Piper, Pecos Park, Bounce House, Tumbleweed Park, family dinners, soccer practice/games, Desert Breeze Park (notice the park theme - hooray for fall!!!!), and LOTS of cousin Wii time:)  We also had time to see Mark's cousins from NM (very fun - the boys LOVE Jimmie and Grant and we played at the Caruso farm!  Whoa - a month's worth of outings for sure)  

Above, the boys are at Tumbleweed Park together (TJ and Loges are at BSF).  The boys below are all playing Mario Kart together.  In a moment of weakness, Eli convinced me that I could make a trip to Walmart with D, P, G, Eli & Clay so we could get one more controller so they could all play.  I wouldn't do it everyday - but it was a pretty successful trip for five boys, five and under :)  We are always thankful for the time that the boys get to build relationship with ALL their cousins.  They are great friends!

He shoots, he scores!

Our third game into the soccer season, Davis scored his first goal!!!  He was so excited.  Eli actually took it all the way down the field and then got tripped up so Davis shot it in.  The sweetest moments were the ones that followed. 

Eli is so genuinely excited for him.  E is a great encourager of others.

All three boys right after Davis shot the goal.  I love how TJ has his arm on D.  So precious. My boys have been blessed with some great buddies!  Davis also shot a goal for the other team today . . . oops!  But a goal nonetheless, as far as he was concerned I think.  It was the most "action" he had seen on the field this year for sure :)