Boys are different!

Just so you know, in case you don’t already, boys are different than girls. I have always known this to be true myself, however, seeing how boys really do come as boys straight from the womb has been quite an interesting experience. Jantzen is quite the “boy’s boy” if you will and he cracks me up and keeps me going a million miles per hour. He’s like a little tornado stirring up stuff and leaving a wake of disaster everywhere he goes.

Things he does that I don’t recall the girls doing (at all, or not to the extreme that he takes it): Loves slamming things to make loud noises. Loves cars and trucks and will drop other things if he sees one and immediately is upon all fours pushing it on the ground. Loves throwing things, particularly balls (has the same affinity to balls as he does to cars) and he actually can throw things quite far (overhand…..none of this underhand sissy stuff). Loves to run away from you if you tell him no, then look back and throw himself against the sofa or on the floor to show you that he is not happy with your response. I think there are others, but they don’t come to mind at this instant. This mind is tired and is working in slow-mo tonight.

He is a happy little kid and lots of fun. The girls are getting along pretty well with him. He LOVES the Christmas lights and we have to sit at night with the blinds open and sing the night-night songs while we look at the lights. He said “light” today at church……a real word! He was noticing all of the lights in the chapel and kept pointing them out. He was delighted that I knew what he was saying and that we were communicating and the people behind us were delighted to watch him. One more month until he can attend nursery. He is running me ragged on Sunday mornings!

I think most of you have heard of the “potty incidents”, but for the benefit of the few: Jantz loves toilets and loves to throw things in them even more. We try to keep the doors shut, but he seems to catch these golden opportunities on his baby boy radar and heads for the open bathroom, looking for anything he can toss in. At Nana and Papaw’s it was their remote control…..luckily Uncle Adam fixed that one. A few days ago it was my cell phone……not so lucky on that one….. I had to replace it. The night before our Thanksgiving vacation it was Ashtyn and Alyssa’s stuffed animals, which I then had to disinfect and wash and dry so that we could take them on our trip the next day. That one was pretty funny, but I couldn’t locate the camera. Once he unloaded almost a whole roll of toilet paper, flip by flip, straight from the dispenser and into the potty. He thought that one was delightful and seemed confused that I didn’t share his enthusiasm.

The week was very busy, both here and in Singapore. Jason is working his tail off, as always over there, and getting ready to come home on Wednesday. I’ve had a lot of extra happenings, as is always the case when there is a business trip planned. Just one thing: Our Relief Society Christmas dinner was last week and went very well they say. I was in charge, so I was just in the midst of the flurry and then was glad that it was over, particularly worrying about the spiritual message being well-presented. We were able to collect very many nice stuffed animals and children’s books for a local organization. The girls and I went through and washed the ones that weren’t new and tied ribbons on them in various colors this weekend. It was a good thing for us to do together. We will take them sometime this week. I may take the girls, I’ll have to ask the ladies at the organization.

We went to a new indoor “bouncy” playground on Saturday morning and then I took the kids out to lunch. We had lots of fun playing together and enjoying the warmer weather for a day. We had our first big snow and a few days of very cold weather in the middle of the week. It was fun to play in the snow, even if for just a little while. Jantzen was fascinated with it, until his hands touched it and got cold (baby mittens are almost useless, in my opinion, if you can even get them to stay on their chubby little hands!).

We (I) enjoyed the Christmas broadcast this evening. Very good messages and a good mindset to keep throughout the month. Loved the music, as always, and felt encouraged that our current mindset and plans are in line with what is pleasing to the Lord. We have a great family and we are thankful for each of you!

Jason and Natsuko – we would like to talk with you via Skype on our Saturday evening, your Sunday morning if that works for you. Our Friday night we are attending a concert, unless it snows in Denver. Just wanted you to know that we are thinking much of you and that my fast today was for you and your little family. May you feel peaceful and feel guided in the direction that you should go. You are in my prayers and I love you all!

I guess that’s all for tonight and off to bed to greet another Monday morning. We are looking forward to Christmas break and some more time together as a family, then being with the Holt’s for Christmas! We had such fun over Thanksgiving with the Brown’s and we just don’t want the good times to end!