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The boys received Bogs for Christmas.  We love these boots.  They are waterproof, easy for a little one to slip on, and keep their feet warm up to, or down to, -30 degrees.  I haven’t had one boot complaint all winter!

That is, until last week, when a friend dropped off the three big boys from a full day of play…

I could smell her complaint.

Sweating, sock-less feet and a full day of outdoor adventures.

Our mudroom has become a tad fragrant as well.

“Socks, boys…. wear socks.” I suggest.

“Our feet are too hot!” they reply.

Today we opened the boot-tote in the garage, looking for hand-along rain boots to replace our stinky Bogs.

We found a pair of red ones for Isaac, and he put them on eagerly….

“Yeah, Mom!  They are just my age.  Just. My. Age!”

I love him.

good-bye Boggs, hello rain boots!

not tonight, but a common find in their bedroom...

Upon tuck-ins with Hunter (8) and Isaac (3.5) at 9:50 this evening….

Mom:  Boys, you can’t both sleep together in the crib tonight.  Tomorrow’s a school day, and we need to get to sleep.

(Hunter climbs out of Isaac’s crib and into his own bed.)

Isaac: I want to sleep in Hunters bed!

Mom: No, you will stay in your crib.  If you get out of your crib you will have a consequence.

Isaac (with confidence):  When you go away and sleep, I’ll sneak into his bed.

Mom:  Then you will get a consequence.  You need to choose to obey Mommy’s words.

Isaac (declaring more boldly as if Mom didn’t understand him the first time):  No, I’ll sneak.  I’ll go in his bed when you are asleep, you won’t see me.

Mom: I will know.  And God will see you.  And you will have a consequence.  God can always see you.

Isaac: Nope, I’ll hide in a box.   He won’t see me there.

Mom:  God can see you everywhere.  You can’t hide from God.

Isaac: He can’t see me under a pillow.

Mom:  God can see you everywhere.  In a box, under a pillow, everywhere…

Isaac:  He can’t see me underwater.  Not in a river or under the wave.

Mom:  God can see you underwater. And in a river. And under a wave.

Isaac:  I’ll hide in a cave.  He can’t see me in a cave.

Mom:  God can see you everywhere.  You can never hide from Him.

Isaac: He can’t see me in your neck.  I’ll hide in your neck.

Mom: God can see you in a cave, in my neck, under a pillow, in a box, underwater, in a river, under a wave,   and everywhere!

(This was starting to sound like a Dr. Seuss book.  That might have had some influence.)

Isaac:  Then I’ll cut your neck.  I’ll hide inside it.

Mom (yes I was a bit taken back):  Isaac, that isn’t nice.  If you cut my neck, it would hurt Mommy.  I would die.

Isaac: That’s okay.

Mom:  It’s not okay.  You wouldn’t have a mommy anymore.  Nobody would take care of you or the kids.  Nobody would feed you, snuggle you, play with you, read you books, etc…

Isaac:  I can buy a new mommy.

Mom:  No, you can’t buy a new mommy.

Isaac:  Yes, I can at the mommy store.

(Hunter is giggling in the background.)

Mom:  Isaac, there is no mommy store.  You only have one Mommy, the exact Mommy God wants you to have.  That’s why he put us together in our family. Mommy loves you.

Isaac solemnly buried his head into his pillow and sobbed and sobbed.

I don’t know if he was sobbing because he was over tiered,  sorry that he was unkind to me, sad that I would be dead, or sad that he couldn’t get a new mommy!

Regardless, I was tiered!  In hindsight I would have answered a bit differently, but it was fast paced!

I tucked him in, said EXTRA prayers and good-night songs.

I’ll admit, my heart was a tad sad with the cut-your-neck-part and getting a new mommy. (Although, I think he was looking at my neck because I was bending over his crib, and he really was cutting it so he could go inside and hide.)

I enjoy his wit and endurance.  If I didn’t have six of these blessings and some mommy-experience, I might be a bit more shaken.

Hopefully, this post prepares or encourages you moms in bloggy-land tonight.  If you happen to have, or have had, a witty three-year-something blessing yourself.  You are not alone!

Please tell me, I’m not the only one…. right?

I’m off to bed to pray for Isaac’s heart and the great things the Lord will do with Isaac’s mighty will for God’s glory!

Praises and worship to the Savior have echoed throughout the house today, the music is ringing.  Christmas decorations were brought out.  I love this time of year.  Today marks the first day of Advent calender.

Ving was really anticipating traditions and particulars, and it amazes me how our children declare that we have to d0 _____ because we do EVERY year… and I never even noticed that particular thing as a tradition.

Our artificial, wonderful, tree was resurrected today.   It has been “the only tree Ving has ever known”.    It smelled B.A.D.     Bad, as in every living creature in our barn must have lived, slept, ate, and did you-know-what in it all last year.  There was much evidence of their doings all over my living room floor after we shook the tree around to set it up.

As the house warmed up the tree, the odor worsened.  If I had closed my eyes, stood in my living room and took a big sniff, I’d have imagined days-old pee pee diapers hanging from the branches.

We discussed dousing it with toilet bowl cleaner out in the driveway and hosing it off.  We love that tree.  However, as we attempted to take it out for the washing,  we were gasping for air.   It quickly took up residence next to the garbage totes.

The Biggies (Dad included),  have a plan to add it to their pine tree forest next to their tree house, this week.  I’ll try to catch pics.   I told you it has a special place in our hearts.

We tossed around ideas of what to do now, do for a tree this year.    We considered going-green,  but I desired to get the tree up today.  We thought Christmas Day with no needles on our tree might not be so great.   We pondered getting a potted tree as we did our first Christmas without Tucker, but decided no – as I wouldn’t want to plant it and move away.   We settled on another artificial, that is pre-lit this time.  Yet, we questioned the height as we don’t know where we’ll be living in Christmas’ future.

Irv drove to Lowes and I took a Sunday nap with the Littles.  I awoke to a lovely 9 foot, pre-lit tree in the living room.   The boys were eager to do ornaments.  I love looking at all the photo-ornaments of Christmas’ past and sharing the stories behind the different hangings.   Our first married Christmas together,   we drove to Walmart to purchase our supplies.  Irv chose this angel, and she still sits atop 14 years later.

Hunter commented, “Mom, I held up an ornament of Tucker, so he could be in our tree photo too.”

Our first year without Tucker here, we purchased a train in his memory…. now he is with us in fun each holiday season around the tree.   I loved and savored all the boys setting it up with Dad and playing with it tonight.

Oh, Eden Grace helped with the train too.  Isaiah kept telling her “No” as she continued to squirm over to the box and reach in.  She doesn’t miss a thing.  (She loves starring at her Daddy.)

The Biggies are sleeping out under the tree as I type.  All are tucked in.  I feel a refreshing beginning of this Holiday season.

I also put together my CHRISTmas binder today.  It is ready to record wish lists, each persons desires for special to-do’s this month,  who we need to make / purchase gifts for, and our Holiday calender.  Being organized reduces the stress of the obligations & busyness.  I feel free to enjoy the True meaning of Christmas, CHRIST … and savor the more  important simple things of the CHRISTmas season.

The Nativity,  advent celebrations, and our CHRISTmas countdown….

Sweet CHRISTmas preparations to you….

He’s done it.  Or not done it.

I suppose it depends how you look at it.

Actually no Depends, and no more size six.  No more three kiddos in diapers.

He is the earliest completely trained Salisbury boy by far, day and night.

He’s been doing well with pee pee since before his third birthday.  However,when we decided to stop the two chocolate chips award for pee pee and give it for only poo poo – he decided it wasn’t worth the effort to go on the potty anymore.

After a few weeks, we re-instituted 2 chips for pee pee and FIVE for poo poo.    Pee pee was once again successful, but much time passed with no interest in poo poo on the potty.

So I bribed him.  Yup, a bribe. (It worked with the first two boys.)   A poo poo on the potty, earns a toy store trip to Target.

If he was naked, he’d pee (outside in the grass or inside on the potty), and then just save the poo poo for the diaper at bed/nap time.   So, I decided to keep him naked for naps too.   The first day, I was urgently summoned to his bedroom.

Isaac:  “Mom, my poo is coming, my poo is coming.”

With an emotionless response, I took him to the bathroom.

Isaac:  “No, I need a diaper for my poop.”

Mom:  “I will sit you on the potty. Here’s a book to read.  Call me when you’re done.”

I left the room.   Isaac likes reactions, so I purposed to not have one.   Within minutes, I was summoned again.

Isaac proudly:   “Look in there, it’s my poop.”

Indeed it was.  A big one.  Instant gratitude poured forth from mom, that it was in the toilet!    I did the potty dance, while spinning in a circle to my own beat… “Poo poo in the potty, poo poo in the potty,  Isaac is a big boy with poo poo in the potty!”  You get the idea.

Isaac was beaming and very excited to receive his five chocolate chips.

Upon exiting the bathroom, he paused at the sink.  He climbed up the step stool, looked in the mirror, and proclaimed to his very proud reflection… “I’m a big boy now!”

When daddy arrived home,  they went to Target.   Buzz Light-year Gear was the poo poo pick.

Lest you think we reached perfection instantly, I must share.   I kept him naked for a few more days until he repeated poo poo in the potty a few times.  The next day,  Hunter brought me two special gifts he found in the basement playroom.  Yuck!    And, we’ve had a few lazy moments …. moments where Isaac and mommy both wished he still wore diapers!

Today, he asked his teacher at church if he could go to the potty!  Yeah!

I know I should be hurrah-ing, and I am.  But, it is bitter sweet.   I remember complaining that Tucker was still not potty trained at 2.75 yo,  and within days I yearned to change his stinky diapers after he moved to Heaven. It’s all perspective.

Isaac continues to be a joy and a bitter sweet reminder of the time that’s passed.  He is potty trained, and Tucker never lived long enough to complete this milestone.   It amazes me how grief and the love of Tucker continues to permeate our lives, who we are, and our family story.

Memory makers and markers of time.

“Mommy loves you Isaac, and you are a big boy now!”

Isaac:  “Eden Grace, do you want me to read you my Bible?”

Mom:  “I’m sure she’d love that!”

in Jesus name, amen.

Isaac: “In Jesus name, amen. In Jesus name, amen.  In Jesus name, amen.”

And off he went. All day, all over the house, reading his Bible…  “In Jesus name, amen.”

I love it.