January 14 through 26

Well, these last couple of weeks have been entertaining to say the least.

Jamere - As a mother, I'm learning to relax a little (not that dang much) where my son is concerned. He asked last weekend if his friend and ex girlfriend could come by for a visit. I agreed but can I just say, I'm having issues with the female friends thing. I'm trying to be strong. My son is growing up and friends of the opposite sex is absolutely normal. IT IS NORMAL right? I it doesn't mean that he's being sneaky and lying and things like that...Just the thought of it makes a lump swell in my throat. That child is however, incredibly handsome.

He has also proven that just a little bit of hard work can pay off. His final grades this semester gave him with the exception of 1 C (which is the end result of both quarter grades combined) he received ALL A's & B's. I'm telling you, that kid is something else. He also did his final project for History and he received 105 out of 100. I think that part of the turnaround in his attitude is this program that he's recently joined at school, it's called STEPS, what that stands for exactly I don't know, I do know that he's excited about it. He attends weekly meetings, plus he does activities with his mentor regularly. He's also involved in MESA (Mathematics, Engineering & Science Achievement) and he sessions that he attends. The last one was a couple of weeks ago, the only reason I remember is because I ended up getting up early on Saturday morning to get him to the University of Washington, driving around a campus I know absolutely nothing about.

Jamere is also trying to learn how to drive.........................................May I just say that I am grateful for his father. That man has the patience to teach a teenager how to drive - I don't. Especially after almost sideswiping a parked car to avoid hitting a pedestrian that was walking in the street (whispering) on the other side of the street. I just love my baby daddy. I love his wife even more for allowing him to teach our children how to drive because if it were my husband, I'd say 'Doesn't driving school provide them with a vehicle?'

Nikyle - she had a rough couple of weeks. Her teacher has been out (Her father passed) and Ky's class had and still has a substitute teacher thus leaving her with her mind left somewhere in Olympia. I received calls from the substitute teacher, every day from LAST Thursday until THIS Wednesday. On Thursday, I'm sure the only reason I didn't receive the call is because she was on a field trip. Her class went to the Children's Theater and saw The 3 Little Pigs. She was full of excitement as she told me about her day and the play. Friday she had free dress and let me just say, she can truly traumatize me at times. Her ensemble Friday morning was - a jean skirt w/ leopard print chiffon material attached, the leopard print tights which have a little bit of pink for highlights, the ivory sweater w/ the black tank underneath and the pink converse low tops. Just someone tell me why? She still under the impression that she's given birth to someone in this household - she's bossy, she yells and he's stingy - heaven knows that I don't know where in the world she gets that from so it's GOT to be from her father :)

Jarel turned 2 this year - MAN O MAN - He as taken the term 'Terrible Two's' to a whole new level. That kid is a 'Tenacious Tyrant' but then he smiles. it's ridiculous, utterly ridiculous because that smile is so ridiculously gorgeous. He had his 2year checkup on the 21st and he's still he runt but because he's the runt, he's the meanest of all my kids. He runs around demanding, screaming and abusing. If he doesn't get his way - he throws a fit, when that doesn't work he'll smack the hell out of his siblings or he looks at you in a way that says it all.

At the daycare, he has a girlfriend named Maya. She's actually a very pretty little girl. From what his teacher has told me, Jarel will fight for her, fights the kids and his teachers. He pats Maya's back at nap time until she falls asleep and then he'll go to his mat and go to sleep. He comforts her when she's upset and hugs her every day before she leaves. He can count by HIMSELF to 5 but if you count with him he can go to 10 and he LOVES to sing and dance, I'm going to have to get video of him dancing one day because whereas he's no JT, he's got skillz :) Oh yea, Jarel finally learned how to open doors 0 can't say I appreciate that either because my moments of 'privacy' have just completely gone out the window.

James - He's full of new words. I thought I was in heaven when I heard him tell me that the cheese malicious (delicious) but now he has extended his vocabulary to include words such as ridiculous and irrelevant; phrases like 'that makes me nervous' which for the record, I don't know where in the heck he got that one from. He's doing good in school - his girlfriend would be his teacher -lol- teacher Georgia. Let's just say that JT will bust out in tears every time she leaves with her boyfriend. He is counting - he's made it to 21, although he always skips 16 and he can do his ABC's. He had his first headache on 1/18, can I Just say, I am unable to express the guilt I had for passing that particular gene or whatever else it is onto my children, first Jamere and now James, it truly hurt my heart.

I'll have to add the pictures later -