Jeremy is ONE!

Top 10 Things We Love About Jeremy

10. Ahhdooooo
His favorite word -- pronounced with a high-pitched ahhh and a long-lingering doooo. Repeated so often that we’re sure it means I Love You!

9. Peg-Leg Crawl
One leg drags inside and up front. Pitiful!

8. Good Sport
Always game for pat-a-cake and peek-a-boo!

7. Crocodile Tears
So big you can drown in them . . . lures us in every time!

6. Wubby Lover
My own little Linus!

5. Half-Tooth Smile
So sad to see his gummy smile go – but loved his look ever since!

4. Head Bonking
It hurts! But, still a welcomed expression of fondness!

3. Long-Suffering Patience and Devotion
Toward an older brother who can't keep his hands to himself!

2. Big Kiss
Who doesn't love a wide open-mouth show of affection?

1. Cuddle Bug
Truly loves to be cuddled. I hope it lasts!

Bonus: "Covers" for J
By eating the leftovers -- after the marshmallows have been picked from the Lucky Charms!

Happy Birthday my Jeremy! You make our family complete!

You know, I didn’t know we needed you so much! I remember holding your newborn cousin Molly and being overcome by a feeling of sadness -- I wish I had more children. I should have had more children. Wait! I’m so thankful for the two I have . . . and I tried to kick the feeling. I can’t have regrets at this point in my life . . . I made choices. Still, the sadness. Aunt Kristi politely encouraged “You can still have more children.” I could never choose that! I’m 40; Bill’s nearly 55 . . . we’ll be raising J well into our old age! The increased risk factors . . . that would be an irresponsible choice. Imprudent. And I gave it up right there . . . determined to live my chosen destiny happily and thankfully. Just imagine my wonderment! . . . three weeks later . . . at the realization that I was expecting you! . . . and I basked in the overwhelming feeling of completeness.

Who's the Jerm?

What’s in a name anyway?

For the longest time Bill affectionately called me CB (Carol Burr). His sister Beverly is Auntie B. And he prefers a simple BS when signing checks. So it was no surprise that his only requirement when naming our first child was to use an initial. We asked for suggestions and the wall-sized dry-erase board in the hallway at work quickly filled with offerings:

Forrest Stump
Woody Stump
Harry Stump
Richard Stump
Tim Burr Stump

Enough fun with the Stump! We’re looking for a name with an initial. Still, it continued:

O. Kay Stump
Doug A. Stump
Hal O. Stump
P. Don Stump
Lon G. Stump
C.A. Stump

I agreed to name him J Aaron on the condition that we call him Aaron. I can’t imagine anything worse than being called by an initial only! But, Baby J rolled off the tongue too easily and Amanda insists that JJ is much easier to say than Aaron. Anyway, his preschool teacher knows that it’s OK to call him J, but I insist he learns to write J Aaron.

So, NO INTIALS for Jeremy! But I can’t win. Jer-a-mee -- it takes such effort to make it through three syllables! This picture shows Amanda tossing him in the air saying Who’s the Jerm? That’s right. There IS something worse than being called by an initial only!

My Brother's Keeper

Jeremy can’t walk yet. And his pitiful crawl reminds us of a peg-leg pirate. J understands the need and Jeremy appreciates the help!

Just Like Mom

Ahhh . . . a peaceful bubble bath -- just like mom.

And I giggle as I recall my least-peaceful bubble bath. Tired, swollen, and fully pregnant with J, I just wanted to relax, feel soft, and smell pretty. I even lit several votive candles and set them along the edge of the tub. I struggled a bit to get in (I can barely straddle the wall of the tub on my tippy-toes) and the thought crossed my mind that I would need Bill to help me get out. Hopefully he'll be home in an hour. Ahhhh . . . Andrea Bocelli . . . IT MUST HAVE BEEN THE MUSIC that attracted the cat! He jumped up on the edge of the tub and strolled right over the votive candles. I knew we should have shaved that thing! The cat belly is on fire!! He's screeching, running out of the room on fire! The smell of burning cat hair is unbearable -- I'm going to barf! And, I CAN'T GET OUT OF THIS TUB!!

White Striped Road Trip

It’s no surprise that The Wheels on the Bus Go Round and Round and There Were Ten in the Bed and the Little One Said get way annoying on the 15th time around. J had a fit when I replaced his CD with mine. Luckily, my CD was a mix of The White Stripes and my quick thinking saved the day!

Don’t you want to hear the doorbell song?
NOooooo!
Sure, you do! You know all about it and I start singing . . .

I’m thinking about my doorbell, when you gonna ring it, when you gonna ring it?
Yeah, I’m thinking about my doorbell, when you gonna ring it, when you gonna ring it?

J squealed with excitement – he loves ringing the doorbell! It was a surprise to discover this fun song is nothing more than lyrics fit for a three-year-old! It caught his attention perfectly and he understood exactly what was going on. Repeat, please. Repeat, please. And I soon realized The White Stripes get annoying on the 15th time around!

No, we’re moving on and I started singing the next one.

Walk with me, Suzy Lee
Through the park and by the tree
We will rest upon the ground
And look at all the bugs we found
Safely walk to school without a sound

J giggled Bugs and school! And once again my song was reduced to three-year-old pleasure.

I’m not kidding, the next song was The Hardest Button to Button -- a problem with which J is very familiar!

Anyway, props to The White Stripes for creating songs that span the generations! It made our road trip bearable!

Wishful Thinking

Last weekend J announced I want to be four. I was amused that he is gaining a concept of age. But, then I realized that he’s just gaining a concept of the toys that Jeremy is getting for his upcoming birthday.

Still, twice this week when asked his age, he told them he was four! What? I’m four and I want to go to school he explained. I assured him that his preschool has a class for three-year-olds, so he doesn’t need to worry about being four for several months.

Guess what? We couldn’t find him on the three-year-old lists at preschool orientation today. He has been moved up to the four-year-old class!

If only my wishful thinking turned to reality so easily!

Bonk!

Wondering why Jeremy has forehead bruises? He loves to bonk! Lean in to cuddle cheeks . . . bonk! Lean in for a big kiss . . . bonk! Lean in to nibble ear . . . bonk! And it hurts! He even plays chicken by progressively bonking harder and harder -- daring you to tolerate the pain! One time I didn't back away . . . it brought us both to tears.

Last week we rid Amanda’s closet of the last of her early-teen toys and junk. What a challenge! That is, keeping Tornado Boy from destroying the sorted piles! Although he's easily distracted, it's not long before he ends up in another pile. Then he spotted it -- the Barbie Styling Head! He coaxed and coaxed (even whimpered) for it. He could not be distracted . . . he knew what he wanted . . . and fussed and carried on until I finally gave in to the whining. As I handed it to him HE BONKED the Barbie Styling Head DIRECTLY ON THE FOREHEAD! That was all . . . off to the next pile.

The Last Weekend of Summer Vacation

What is it about men dressed in drag that tickles my funny bone? . . . even better when it’s a mild-mannered super-hero alias for a band of 18th Century English noblemen! This wasn’t really drag . . . but flamboyant pastels, ruffles, and feathers were just as fun! (Superman never looked so pretty).

The Scarlett Pimpernel at Hale Center Theater was part of The Last Weekend of Summer Vacation - an extravaganza of school-clothes-shopping, restaurant-dining, downtown-Hilton-sleeping, better-than-ever mother-daughter time together. I had fun with you Amanda!

Look At Me!

We were very excited when J caught on so quickly the first day of swimming lessons. He’s surprisingly good at holding his breath (likely a result of spending a week in the water at Lake Powell). Unfortunately, his infatuation with this new ability prohibits his focus on anything else.

Let's blow bubbles. J starts to blow, quickly submerges his face completely for several seconds, then gasps, I did it! I held my breath!

Let’s kick our feet. As the other children obediently kick, J sinks in the water holding his breath for several seconds, then jumps out to exclaim, I did it! Watch me!

Let’s play Ring around the Rosie. J grabs hands with the other children, then sinks to the bottom for several seconds, popping up to exclaim, Teacher! Look at me!

Same routine every day. This picture commemorates the ten-thousandth pop-up and Look at me!

Summer Mermaid

She couldn't possibly survive the summer out of water -- and spends nearly every day "keeping her skin moist" at Seven Peaks. Summer vacations are planned around water and after Lake Powell she headed straight to Dana Point, CA to surf with her dad!

She's a Winter Mermaid, too. A few weeks into the training season, she realized that Provo High had a swim-team. She was thrilled when the coach was more than welcoming with, "If you come to practice and work hard, you're welcome to swim with the team." So 6am practice each morning, then scurrying to prep for class! Filled with excitement after the first meet she exclaimed, "I took last place!" It didn't phase her a bit and her commitment continued. Even after the last meet, "My relay team did great! We were only 2nd to last!"

Her disinterest in summer swim-team confirmed my suspicion that there was a cute boy on the school team.

All Is Well

It may be no surprise that Bill generally avoids swimming pools and hot-tubs. He just doesn’t like “being in other people’s sweat, toe-jam, and dead skin.” But, Lake Powell was scorching hot and swimming in the lake was a welcomed comfort. Luckily, it wasn’t until packing up on the last day that someone mentioned that the houseboat gray-water dumps directly into the lake! What? Swimming in the dirty dishwater of this morning’s breakfast? Showering in the semi-filtered remains that were washed off many bodies yesterday? Even I began to wonder if Lake Powell is really big enough to accommodate the gray-water of 400,000 boats launched / 3.5 million visitors, annually. I guess if there’s no diarrhea, all is well.

My, What Big Eyelashes You Have!

Recently, a very nice stranger tickled my baby-pride by exclaiming, “He’ll be six-foot-six . . . by the time he grows into those eyelashes!”

Jeremy was a very good boy on the water and quickly became accustomed to the bulky life-jacket.

I Didn't Die, Mom!

My favorite three-year-old saying at Lake Powell was chimed with glee as he wiped water from his face after being “thrown” into the Lake (with life-jacket and floatie tube, of course). “I didn’t die, Mom!” Thus began our playful sun-and-water-fest!

Amanda's 15th Surprise

Just like my Grandma Vickers, when it comes to birthdays or Christmas I can hardly keep a secret. I suffered terrible anxiety by not breathing a peep about Amanda's upcoming birthday. Although we usually spend weeks planning a party, she didn’t speak a word about it either -- she knows vacation at Lake Powell is celebration in itself. So, I secretly packed up the Happy Birthday banners, balloons, party hats, noise makers, candles, and treat bags. The only trouble is that I couldn't figure out how to sneak a birthday cake on the houseboat and keep it hidden for three days. So, we made-do.

Riding "4" Wheelers

I finally brought home a red, twelve-inch, training-wheeled, Lightning McQueen, Huffy speed racer – only to find that the front tire tube was pinched during assembly and wouldn’t hold air. Three-year-old excitement turned to tears. By the weekend, heartbreak was forgotten and J pedalled in the neighborhood 24th of July parade.

Jeremy thinks he can do anything his big brother can do . . . but as of yet, he can only go backwards!

An occassional, "Don't touch my bike, Jeremy!"